


Snowbound

by Zippit



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Community: fmagiftexchange, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-04
Updated: 2013-07-04
Packaged: 2017-12-17 16:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/869837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zippit/pseuds/Zippit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mission in the snow goes wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snowbound

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [FMA Gift Exchange](http://fmagiftexchange.livejournal.com) with the prompt: Ye Olde Blanket fic.
> 
> Thanks to [](http://archiveofourown.org/users/catw00man/profile)[](http://archiveofourown.org/users/catw00man)**catw00man** for the beta. All other errors are mine.

They’ve been trekking through the snow for an indeterminate amount of time now. He kept insulting Fullmetal in the beginning because he enjoyed getting a rise out of him. The familiar surge of warmth and smugness when he’d incite Fullmetal into a rage so easily would be the reward in itself. Now he does it to make sure Fullmetal’s still there with him in mind and body.

Winter’s his least favorite season, especially here in the outskirts of the North. Snow ranges freely here and sweep out of the sky with little warning. It hinders movement and travel. It’s a bane on everything he tries to accomplish. He huddles deeper into his winter coat and fervently hopes they find some form of shelter. It’d be easy enough to have Fullmetal create something out of the woods that surround them, but there are creature comforts that wouldn’t provide. Heat for one and food for another. He doesn’t mention it because then the temptation would be too great to stop. He vaguely remembers passing a cabin on their way out. It should be somewhere around here if they’ve managed to keep on the path through the snow.

“Fullmetal, do you think you’d fit on a snowflake?” 

The reply is soft, almost listless, “Why? You want some flambéed shrimp? Who you calling smaller than a shrimp from the bottom of the sea?!”

The reassurance that Fullmetal is still with him enough to reply settles him somewhat. That cabin would be nice right now. The wind starts howling then and sends a shower of snow drifting from the trees overhead and onto them. They’re already soaked enough from trudging through this mess. They don’t need more. He heaves a sigh of relief when he spots the square corner of something through the tree branches.

Roy takes a quick glance back to Edward trudging along behind him. He looks miserable huddled in the red coat he modified for the trip. He shakes his head. If he’d only been sensible and opted for the winter gear they were offered. Sometimes he doesn’t understand how Edward can get half the things he does done by trusting no one.

Whatever the case, they both need to get out of the snow. There’s no light coming from the cabin windows and no smoke from the chimney. Their less than fortunate luck seems to be holding. The door’s frozen shut and won’t open under his touch. Edward shoulders to the front and it only takes a press of his hands before the door’s swinging open. It’s no warmer inside but as soon as he gets a fire going things will be better.

It doesn’t take long for him to get a fire going. Thankfully there was some wood stacked right outside the back door and before long the fire roars and crackles in the fireplace and he looks around. He takes a quick inventory of the small cabin and finds there’s a hardy stock of canned goods in the cupboards along with some meat in the fridge. There’s even a bedroom and shower. This will suit them nicely until they can set out tomorrow and find their way back to town. He looks at Ed who hasn’t moved from the spot he stopped once they came inside. He frowns and walks toward him. “Fullmetal, why are you still dripping on the floor?”

Ed merely blinks at him and he curses even more when he reaches him and finds him soaked through and shivering. He’s even colder than he expected. Belatedly he remembers the two automail limbs weighing him down. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Golden eyes blink owlishly at him and shrugs before he finally answers him. “Didn’t wanna slow us down more.”

He bites back more scathing remarks about how Ed needs to find better battles to pick. Preferably ones that don’t involve risking his health. He tugs at the red coat and winces at the wet squelch it makes. It’s wrapped tight around and he growls as it takes several more hard tugs before he manages to slide it off. Ed seems barely able to move. Why the hell did they have to be in the snow again? It’s never ended well for him. He steers Ed by the shoulders toward the fireplace and hopes this is enough to get him warm. He goes to gather all the blankets he can find from the cabin and hands them to Ed. “You need to get out of those wet clothes and warm yourself up. Wrap yourself up in the blankets while I get food ready.”

He heads back toward the small makeshift stove and rummages around until he finds the can opener. He pulls the top open on a hearty soup with noodles and chicken. This should do well for them tonight. Roy glances toward the fire and Ed who seems to actually be doing what he’s asked for once. If he’s moving more slowly than he’d like to see him moving he’ll chalk that up to the cold. How does the cold affect automail, anyway? He’s never given it much thought. It was never a concern he had to deal with. Ed never mentioned it and neither of them were focused on anything but the respective tasks they’d set before themselves.

It’s a quick snap to light the stove and hurry the heating along but it does take up his concentration. There’s enough to split into two bowls and he does so, carrying it back to Ed in front of the fireplace. He’s relieved to see the sodden clothes tossed in a heap by the fire. He knows on a normal day Ed would’ve just pressed his hands to them and made them dry. It worries him he hasn’t. “Here.” He sets the soup in front of Ed and eats his own. It’s only after a few bites that he looks over and realizes Ed hasn’t moved. “Edward?”

Roy sets his bowl down and reaches out to touch his shoulder. The chill he can feel even through the blankets alarms him. “Edward. Edward, look at me.” When he gets no response, he pushes both bowls out of the way then rubs Ed’s arms, legs, and torso through the blanket. He’s not going to have him freezing to death on him. Unfortunately, the vigorous rubbing only seems to be helping Roy. There’s no change in Ed at all, and when he reaches up to brush the long ponytail out of his way he feels just how soaked through he is.

Ed needs to get warmed up and soon. The fire’s warm. He can feel its heat against his skin through his own clothes but Ed’s oblivious. He wraps the blankets tighter around him then pushes to his feet. They don’t have the time to waste. He needs Ed warm. He moves back to the shower off the bathroom and tests the water. The faucet turns with a rusty creak and after several long seconds of failure welling inside him the water pours out with a hiss against the tile. His only hope is if the water heater managed to survive. Whatever its state, the current conditions outside suggest it’ll be a while before he can verify the truth of it.

He lets that run and heads back out to the living room. The room’s warmed enough that the jacket he still has on is no longer needed. Ed sits facing the fire but still closer than anyone feeling the heat properly would be. He shrugs from his jacket and drapes it over the nearest chair before he settles down beside Ed again. “Edward, we need to get you warm. I don’t like how cold you are.”

He waits for a response but when none is forthcoming he pulls Ed into the circle of his arms. It’s worrying at how little resistance he encounters. Normally, there’d be a spitting hellcat in his arms if he attempted this. He rubs one hand over his arm and his back while he keeps him cradled against him. His other hand he uses to slowly undo the braid of Ed’s hair. Wet and sodden as it is, Ed’s hair is difficult to move, even more so one handed. It takes longer than he expects to unwind the plaits from each other. When he’s done, he cups the back of his neck and brushes his thumb against his skin. Ed looks like an angel with his hair spread over his arm. Innocence lines his features in a way it never does when he’s alert and aware.

Roy cradles him closer against his chest and scoots closer to the fire himself. With Ed taking in his body heat combined with the fire, there should be some effect. He wishes he had more flexibility with his brand of alchemy. Creating explosions and channeling fire aren’t much good in situations like these. He needs the warmth created, not the explosions themselves. He has no way to divorce the two though maybe he should look into it. He sighs and looks down at Ed. He traces his fingers along his cheek and he’s relieved when the deathly chill doesn’t cling to his skin as tightly. He doesn’t have the time to research and experiment with refining his array. It’s enough of a full time job weaving the intricate plots he needs to become Fuhrer. Ed would more than likely have it solved sooner than he ever could, but he can imagine the look on his face if he asked. No, they’re both too busy chasing their impossible dreams to make time for frivolous things.

He cranes his head toward the bathroom and wonders if it’s been long enough for the water to warm up. This close to the fire he can’t hear much over its crackling. He looks down at Ed bundled up in his arms. He can’t be that heavy to lift. Even with two automail limbs there’s no noticeable change in weight. He looks like a normal boy until you see the glint of metal from under his sleeve. It’s awkward but he manages to shift to his knees then push to his feet. He grunts in surprise when Ed’s weight unexpectedly drags him forward more than he expected. Automail is more than he bargained for but it doesn’t defeat him. When he’s on his feet he adjusts his grip on Ed so he’s cradled more firmly in his arms. He heads toward the bathroom and the further away he gets from the fire the more pronounced the chill emanating from Ed becomes.

His first step inside the bathroom doesn’t fill him with hope. Where there should be steam rising from the water, there’s only the sound of running water. Roy hopes it’s the cold that’s preventing any visible sign of heat, otherwise it’s going to be a long night in front of the fire. He places a foot on the edge of the combination shower and bathtub then settles Ed against his leg while reaching carefully to pass his fingers through the water. It’s a tepid sort of cold that dashes his hopes.

He’s already taken the blankets from the bed and the closets. The only source of warmth in this place is the fire. There’s nothing else he can do. He turns off the water and watches it drain completely before he slides his arm under Ed’s knees again and carries him back out to the living room. It’s been years since he took the all weather survival courses at the Academy, but he does remember the best method to warm someone is skin to skin contact if only from the smirking glances cast around. Back then, they’d all thought of curling up close with a buxom female cadet.

Every step toward the fire draws away the chill but he knows it’s not enough for Ed or at least he’s not satisfied. He settles Ed as close to the fire as he dares and he’s pleased to see him shift towards it. His body’s not giving up the fight yet. He hadn’t seen any other obvious places for more blankets and with how bare the cabin is he has a pretty good feeling he’s found all he’s going to find.

He undresses and drapes his clothes over his jacket. He keeps his boxers on because some lines of propriety need to be kept. He also doubts Ed would appreciate waking up with the both of them naked. He’s not looking forward to the first shock of damp skin against his own and then there’s the automail to contend with. Roy tugs on the blankets around Ed. As nice as the fire feels against the front of his body, his backside is freezing and curling up under chilled blankets would eliminate the unevenness in warmth. Ed tries to keep the blankets wrapped around him at first but more insistent tugging has them coming unraveled. The whimper that accompanies it does nothing to ease his worry about the whole situation.

Ed is an indomitable personality and to see him so…vulnerable doesn’t sit well with him. He lays one blanket on the floor and curls up on it before he tugs Ed into his arms, back to front, then wraps the rest of the blankets back around them. He clenches his jaw at the shock of cold against his skin from Ed’s skin and automail. When the cocoon of blankets is sealed around them again and the fire’s had a chance to warm them up together, the cold lessens somewhat. He keeps his arm carefully draped around Ed to check his body temperature and when he feels his skin warm under his touch, he relaxes enough to let himself drift off to sleep. The morning will bring plenty of fireworks but right now he’s just glad they’re out of the cold. He can deal with everything else.


End file.
